Coin testing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The coin testing apparatus comprises a magnet, a deflecting sheet and an anvil arranged one after the other in the dropping path of the coins. The apparatus permits separation of coins of low, medium and high electric conductivity in a way that the coins of low and high conductivity are directed to a channel for acceptable coins whereas the coins of medium conductivity are directed to the coin return channel.

O Unlted States Patent [151 3,667,585 Lindner 1 1 June 6, 1972 [54] COIN TESTING APPARATUS 2,159,117 5/1939 Tratsch et al. ..194/100 3,340,981 9/1967 Oklischan ..194/ 102 [72] Inventor. Werner Llndner, Buxtehude, Germany 2,376,357 5/1945 Hokanson I 194/99 [73] Assignee: National Rejectors, Inc. Gmbl-I, Bux- 2,292,473 8/1942 Patzer et a1. .194/ 100 tehude, Germany 2,975,880 3/1961 Gabrie1sen.... 194/99 [22] Filed June 16 1970 2,026,262 12/1935 Wadsworth ..194/101 [21] Appl. No.: 46,643 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Anomeyaeaman Beaman July 10, 1969 Germany ..P 19 34 911.2 ABSTRACT The coin testing apparatus comprises a magnet, 11 deflecting Cell 190121613432 sheet and an anvil arranged one afler the other in the dropping 58] Fieid l 94 101 102 path of the coins. The apparatus permits separation of coins of low, medium and high electric conductivity in a way that the coins of low and high conductivity are directed to a channel [56] References cued for acceptable coins whereas the coins of medium conductivi- UNITED STATES PATENTS ty are directed to the coin return channel.

2,322,434 6/1943 Gebert et a] 194/100 2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure com TESTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a coin testing apparatus as used preferably in vending machines, wherein the dropping coins which have been inserted, after having passed through a magnetic field, impinges upon an anvil changing the dropping path of the coins which, depending on their falling speed, their hardness and elasticity, will be directed either into the channel for acceptable coins or into the coin rejection channel.

In the known coin testers the following features are tested for checking the coins:

1. By a balance: weight and diameter (undersize);

2. At a limiting lever: the diameter (oversize);

3. By a ring catcher: possibly available bores;

4. By a magnet: iron content, magnetism and electric conductivity of the coin;

5. In a channel limited by the magnet: thickness and possible deformation; and

6. At an anvil: hardness and elasticity.

The entire testing procedure in the known coin testers runs as follows:

The coins inserted arrive at first on a so-called coin balance by which their diameter and weight are tested.

Coins or discs having a smaller diameter than an acceptable coin fall through the coin balance directly into the coin return channel. Coins or discs of lighter weight than an acceptable coin do not move the coin balance.

Coins or discs with larger diameters are retained by a limiting lever. Bored discs are collected by an annulus catcher.

All coins or discs stopped in the coin tester may be delivered into the coin return channel by actuation of an opening lever.

Coins having the correct diameter turn the coin balance and roll out of it via an inclined running path. They then arrive at a channel limited by a magnet, in which thicker, distorted or magnetic discs or coins are retained. These retained coins or discs may be stripped off by a wiper blade and delivered into the coin return channel by actuation of the opening lever.

All the coins or discs passing the magnetic field are checked for their electric conductivity by means of the eddy-currents induced therein by the magnetic field. Because of the eddycurrent braking the coins leave the magnetic field at a speed dependent on their electric conductivity. Coins leaving the magnetic field at a sufficient high speed impinge upon an anvil rebound therefrom, and fall into the channel for acceptable coins. Coins or discs which because of their higher electric conductivity are braked in a higher degree by the eddy-currents induced therein, no longer reach the anvil and fall into the coin return channel. These normally include bronze, brass and copper discs and coins as well as silver coins. The coins or discs impinging upon the anvil rebound therefrom with a speed depending on the hardness and elasticity thereof. In this way lead discs, for instance, may be eliminated which, although fully impinging upon the anvil, leave it at such a low speed that they no longer drop into the channel for acceptable coins.

With these known coin testers it is possible to sort out only coins consisting of a certain alloy, for instance, coins consisting of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, while rejecting all coins consisting of other alloys.

Recently coins of equal values circulate in many countries which coins consist of two different alloys. Often coins of equal value are in circulation, the one type consisting of silver and the other type of an alloy of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel. Both coin types difier considerably from each other as to their electric conductivity. Another difiiculty will result if coins of a different currency are available which, as regards their weight and dimensions are equal to the coins to be tested, but which are of a lower value.

For instance, coins having the value of l Finnish mark circulate in Finland, which consist either of silver or of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, while the Danish 5 fire coins which are not rare in the Finnish currency region, in weight and dimensions completely correspond to the coins of 1 Finnish mark. They differ from the two coins of the Finnish mark only by the electric conductivity in that their conductivity just is medium between that of the silver and the coppernickel Finnish mark coins.

The object of the invention is to overcome the difficulties resulting from this change in currency. Another object is to provide a coin tester which accepts coins of equal value but difi'erent electric conductivity, and rejects coins of different electric conductivity but with otherwise like properties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention the coin testing apparatus of the type described in the first paragraph of this specification is characterized in that a coin deflection sheet is arranged in the dropping path of the coin which is adjusted in such a manner that it deflects the dropping path of coins considerably braked by the magnetic field but still to be accepted as being good coins, in a way that they still impinge upon the anvil at such a speed that, provided they have the correct hardness and elasticity, they will still be directed into the channel for acceptable coins.

Preferably, the anvil and coin deflection sheet are adjusted in such a manner that copper-nickel coins after having passed through the magnetic field, do not contact the coin deflection sheet, and directly impinge upon the anvil, while silver coins after having passed through the magnetic field will impinge upon the coin deflection sheet and will be deflected in such a way that they impinge upon the anvil at a speed sufficient to direct the coin into the channel for acceptable coins and while coins which, after having passed the magnetic field, move at a speed between that of silver coins and that of copper-nickel coins, are not or only so little deflected by the coin deflection sheet that they no longer meet the anvil.

Such a coin testing apparatus has in particular the advantage that it accepts coins of like value and like mechanical properties (dimensions and weight) but of different electric conductivity, whereas it rejects coins deviating by either their mechanical properties or electrical conductivity from the values of the two types of coins to be accepted as being good.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will now be described by way of the attached drawing showing one embodiment of a coin tester according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The coins inserted arrive at first on a coin balance 1, where they are tested for diameter and weight. Coins and discs having a smaller diameter than the coin to be accepted, will fall through the balance directly into the coin return channel as indicated by the dotted line. Lighter coins or discs do not move the coin balance 1. Coins and discs of greater diameter than admissible are retained by a limiting lever 4. Coins and discs having a bore are intercepted by a ring catcher 6.

All these retained coins or discs may be delivered into the coin return channel by the actuation of an opening lever (not shown).

Coins having the correct diameter turn the coin balance 1 and roll off along a running path 3. They then arrive at a channel limited by a magnet 2 wherein thicker, distorted, or magnetic discs and coins are retained. These discs and coins may be stripped off by means of a wiper blade 5 with actuation of the opening lever, and directed into the coin return channel.

If, after having left the running path 3, the coins drop through the magnetic field of the magnet 2, they will be braked more or less by the eddy-currents induced therein dependent on their electric conductivity. Coins having a relatively low conductivity, such as for instance copper-nickel coins, are only weakly braked by the magnetic field and, after having fallen therethrough, will impinge upon an anvil 8, and rebound from said anvil because of their hardness and elasticity and their high speed of impingement and, after having skipped a separator rivet 7 will drop into the channel for acceptable coins. The passage of these coins is indicated in the FIGURE by a solid line.

Coins having a high electric conductivity, such as for instance silver coins, are relatively strongly braked by the magnetic field thus leaving it at a relatively low speed. They impinge upon a coin deflection sheet 9 which deflects them into a direction towards the anvil 8 in such a way that they still reach it at a speed which together with their hardness and elasticity suffices to make them rebound from the anvil in such a way that they overcome the separator rivet 7 as do the coppernickel coins, and drop into the channel for acceptable coins. The passage of these coins is indicated in the FIGURE by the dash-dotted line.

Coins the electric conductivity of which is medium between those of the coins to be accepted as good ones, such as for instance, the copper-nickel coins and the silver coins, leave the magnetic field at a speed and at an angle medium between the corresponding values of the two first-mentioned coins, These coins, for instance Danish ore coins, in the case of the l Finnish mark coins consisting of silver and copper-nickel, respectively, are not so strongly braked by the magnetic field, that they reach the coin deflection sheet 9 as is the case, for instance, with the silver coins, but on the other hand are braked so strongly that they no longer reach anvil 8. They thus fall into the coin return channel. The passage of these coins is indicated in the Figure by a broken line.

Coins or discs having a still higher electric conductivity than silver coins, such as for instance copper coins, leave the magnetic field at such a low speed and at such an angle that, although still impinging on the coin deflection sheet, they can no longer be deflected so much that they might still reach the anvil 8. These coins and discs likewise drop into the coin return channel.

The invention is, of course, not limited to a coin testing apparatus with only one coin channel but may be employed also with coin testing apparatuses having two, three or more coin channels.

What is claimed is:

1. Coin testing apparatus for vending machines capable of testing coins having like mechanical characteristics and different magnetic characteristics comprising, in combination, a first passage defined in said apparatus through which the coins being tested move under gravitational force, a stationary magnet mounted adjacent said passage subjecting coins moving therethrough to a magnetic field whereby the velocity of coins moving past said magnet is determined by the coins magnetic characteristics, second, third and fourth coin passages defined in said apparatus below said magnet constituting extensions of said first passage, said second passage receiving coins having a velocity less than coins received by said third passage, said third passage receiving coins having a velocity less than coins received by said fourth passage, said fourth passage receiving coins having a velocity greater than those coins received by said third passage, coin acceptance means and coin return means defined in said apparatus, said third passage communicating with said coin return means, said fourth passage communicating with said coin acceptance means, a coin deflector located in said second passage, said deflector deflecting coins within said second passage into communication with said coin acceptance means, and a coin rebound anvil mounted in said apparatus within said fourth passage whereby coins within said fourth passage engage and rebound from said anvil into said coin acceptance means, said coin deflector deflecting coins in said second passage to engage said anvil and rebound from said anvil into said coin acceptance means.

2. ln coin testing apparatus as in claim 1, separator means mounted on said apparatus spaced from said anvil, said third passage extending between said anvil and said separator, said coins rebounding from said anvil passing over said separator means.

* l =t t 

1. Coin testing apparatus for vending machines capable of testing coins having like mechanical characteristics and different magnetic characteristics comprising, in combination, a first passage defined in said apparatus through which the coins being tested move under gravitational force, a stationary magnet mounted adjacent said passage subjecting coins moving therethrough to a magnetic field whereby the velocity of coins moving past said magnet is determined by the coin''s magnetic characteristics, second, third and fourth coin passages defIned in said apparatus below said magnet constituting extensions of said first passage, said second passage receiving coins having a velocity less than coins received by said third passage, said third passage receiving coins having a velocity less than coins received by said fourth passage, said fourth passage receiving coins having a velocity greater than those coins received by said third passage, coin acceptance means and coin return means defined in said apparatus, said third passage communicating with said coin return means, said fourth passage communicating with said coin acceptance means, a coin deflector located in said second passage, said deflector deflecting coins within said second passage into communication with said coin acceptance means, and a coin rebound anvil mounted in said apparatus within said fourth passage whereby coins within said fourth passage engage and rebound from said anvil into said coin acceptance means, said coin deflector deflecting coins in said second passage to engage said anvil and rebound from said anvil into said coin acceptance means.
 2. In coin testing apparatus as in claim 1, separator means mounted on said apparatus spaced from said anvil, said third passage extending between said anvil and said separator, said coins rebounding from said anvil passing over said separator means. 